Prices of fresh vegetables, eggs, and broilers become costlier at the kitchen markets in the capital. The photo was taken on March 23, 2019 Mahmud Hossain Opu

Traders said that prices of various vegetables rose by Tk10-30 per kg this week, while fish prices also went up by an average of Tk40 per kg

Prices of most essential commodities increased from last week, due to the ongoing strict lockdown which has severely hampered the supply chain cycle across the country.

This includes rice and most vegetables.

Visiting several kitchen markets in the capital, including Karwan Bazar, Farmgate, Mohammadpur Town Hall Market, Rayer Bazar City Corporation Market and New Market, both wholesalers and retailers acknowledged the price hikes from last week.

Traders said that prices of various vegetables rose by Tk10-30 per kg this week, while fish prices also went up by an average of Tk40 per kg.

But broiler chicken prices dipped by Tk20 per kg, they also said.

Even the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), the government market regulator, stated that prices of all types of spices, including ginger and garlic, had risen ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha.

Also Read - Prices of essentials, groceries go up amid strict lockdown

Rice prices went up by Tk4-5 per kg since last week.

Paijam variety of rice was sold on Saturday at Tk50 per kg, which was Tk48 per kg last week.

BR-28 rice sold at Tk50-52 per kg on Saturday, which was Tk46-48 per kg the week before.

Najirshail rice sold on Saturday for Tk70 per kg, which was Tk67 last week.

Meanwhile, even after announcing a drop in edible oil prices, kitchen markets seemed to have no effect as most stores sold it at higher rates.

Last week, mill owners announced a reduction of Tk4 per litre for bottled soybean oil, at Tk149. But it was being sold in retail at Tk152-155 a litre, varying between brands.

Broiler chicken, however, sold on Saturday for Tk130 per kg, which was Tk150 kg last week.

Prices of beef and mutton remain unchanged, as beef sold at Tk580-600 per kg, and mutton Tk800-900 a kg.

Most of the vegetables including pointed gourd (potol), eggplants, and snake gourd (chichinga) were sold for as high as Tk60 per kg, which was Tk50 even a week ago.

Bitter gourd sold on Saturday at Tk60-70 per kg, tomatoes and Chinese carrots both at Tk80-100 per kg, pumpkins at Tk40-60 per kg, onions at Tk55 per kg, imported garlic at Tk140 per kg and imported ginger at Tk220 per kg.

Aminul Islam, a vegetable retailer at Hatirpool kitchen market, said that demand for vegetables such as papaya, bitter gourd and raw bananas, which have medicinal values, were very high as Covid-19 infection cases were soaring with each day.

Papayas sold for Tk50-60 per kg, while raw bananas sold for Tk35-40 per doze in retail, he added.

Another retailer, Rafikul Islam, said that lentil and sugar prices were also high, selling at Tk80-90 per kg and Tk70-75 per kg respectively.

"We have to sell at higher prices due to higher wholesale prices," he added.

Eid is just another excuse for traders to hike prices, said Mosaddek Ali, a consumer.